Short pants are in wide spread use by both men and women, both as undergarments and for outerwear. Because of compromises between function and appearance outerwear shorts are often specifically designed for a particular type of use, such as shorts designed for walking, for tennis, or for basketball. A comparable conflict exists in the design of underwear. For example, shorts that are intended primarily for use in sports must not restrict free movement of the trunk and legs even if appearance must be sacrificed. On the other hand, underwear shorts, designed for use under dress clothes, should not have excess material to cause bunching and other visible distortions of the outer garment but should not be so tight as to chafe or be restricting. The basic compromise and conflict in design is typified by the two major types of underwear. The vast majority of underwear products sold can be classified as either boxer-type or brief type shorts. Brief type shorts are generally close fitting and frequently have leg openings with elastic. They provide a relatively small area of body coverage and are considered by many men to be constricting and uncomfortable. They must be made of a relatively elastic material such as knit to avoid being unduly restrictive of movement. Boxer-type shorts are generally more loose fitting and provide greater coverage of the male torso. The looseness of the fit is dictated by a need to provide for adequate freedom of movement of the wearers legs without resort to elastic material. For example when the wearers knee is raised the looseness permits sufficient freedom of movement in the leg opening, this looseness produces excess material that may bulge or otherwise distort the wearers outer garments to an undesirable extent. Further, boxer-type shorts have not typically provided any male support; again, because of the requirement for a general loose fitting configuration.
A similar conflict exists in the design of outerwear shorts. For example, in the design of a pair of shorts intended for use as tennis shorts, it is generally considered to be desirable, from a design standpoint to make the shorts conform as closely as possible to the contours of the torso. However, the requirements of the sport for running and knee flexion are such that a garment which conforms too closely to the contours of the torso will be unduly restricting and will interfere with a players performance.
Therefore, it is desirable to have underwear and outerwear shorts that may be made form fitting so as to conform generally to the contours of the torso and which are at the same time not restrictive of movements of the legs and trunk. Such a garment is particularly desirable wherein it is attractive, modest, and may be configured to provide male support.